Device



G. A. SHEA. TRAIN CONTROLLING DEVICE.

(NoModeL) No 578,298. Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES 7- jut/ W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER A. SHEA, OF MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, ANDPETER BODINE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRAIN-CONTROLLING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 578,298, dated March 2,1897.

Application filed October 14, 1896. Serial No. 608,817. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER A. SHEA, of Milton, in the county ofSufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and ImprovedTrain-Controlling Device, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to a means for controlling the movements of atrain, the said means comprising electricity the circuit of which isautomatically controlled to release certain brake-operating devices,whereby the brakes may be automatically set on a train should there bedanger on a portion of a tracksection forward of the train.

I will describe a controlling device embodying myinvention and thenpoint out the novel 7 features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a traincontrolling device embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2 shows a modification, and Fig. 3 shows the deviceas attached to a locomotive.

The invention comprises a track or railway laid out in block-sections 12 3 4, the rails 5 at one side of the track being disconnected at theends of the section and the opposite rails 6 of the several sectionsbeing in electrical connection. At the end of each section between therails 5 and 6 is arranged a contact-rail 7, from which a wire 8 extendsto the rail 5 of the section immediately in front, and each section-rail5 at its forward end is connected to the rail 6 by means'of aresistance-coil 29.

Arranged upon the forward end of the locomotive and preferably upon itscow-catcher is a contact-lever 12, designed to engage at its lower endwith the contact-rails 7. This lever 12 is pivoted on the shaft 13, andfrom this shaft 13 a contact-finger extends and is adapted forengagement with a contact-piece 15, carried by the cow-catcher. From thecontact-lever 12 a wire 30 extends to a train-battery 31 or other sourceof electricity conveniently located on the locomotive, and from thisbattery 31 a wire 32 extends to an electromagnet 33, from which a wire34, comprising a resistance 35, extends to the contactpiece 15. Arrangedin shunt-wires 36 and 37, leading from the wires-32 34, is anelectromagnet 38, and from the wire 34 a wire 39 extends to the axle 22of the locomotive.

Ooacting with the electromagnet 33 is a pivoted armature-lever 40,having a retractile spring 41, and coacting with the electromagnet 38 isa pivoted armature 42, having a retractile spring 43. From the armature42 a wire 44 leads to one pole of a battery 45 or other source ofelectricity, and from the other pole of the same a Wire 46 leads to anelectromagnet 17, located on the locomotive, and

from this electromagnet 17 a Wire 47 leads to,

a contact-piece 48, adapted to be engaged by the armature 42 when saidarmature 42 is held in engagement with the electromagnet 38. From theWire 44 a shunt 49 extends to a connection with a contact-piece 50, withwhich the armature-lever 40 is adapted to engage upon the denergizing ofthe electro-- magnet 33, and a shunt-Wire 50 connects the armature-lever40 with the wire 47.

Ooacting with the electromagnet 17 is an armature-lever 23, having aspring 26, and

from this armature-lever 23 a link 24 extends to a pivotal connectionwith one end of the fulcrum-bar 51, from the otherend of which a link 52extends to a connection with the valve-lever 25;

It will be seen that a current from the battery 31 normally flowsthrough the electromagnets 33 and 38. The armature-lever 40 is held inengagement with the electromagnet 33 and the armature-lever 42 is heldout of engagement with its electromagnet 38 by means of its spring 43.The resistance 35 in the battery-circuit equalizes the resistance 29 inthe track section or circuit when the latter is looped in.

The electromagnet 17 is in an open circuit, and in operation as a trainapproaches the block or section 2 the contact-lever 12 will ride uponthe contact-rail 7 and loop in section 2, cutting out the trainresistance 35. The section 2 being clear and safe, the electromagnetsare not changed in any manner. At this time the current from the battery31 will flow out on the rail 5 to the end of the section, then throughthe track resistance 29,

and back on the rail 6 of that section to the axle 22, the wire 39, andthe electromagnets 33 and 38, back to the battery 31. Under thiscondition the train of course will proceed in safety. As the trainapproaches the section 3, which contains a broken rail, as at v27, thelever 12 will ride upon the contact rail 7, looping or cutting in saidsection 3; but as the circuit is broken at 27 the battery 31 will meetan open circuit at this point, and consequently the electromagnet willbe deenergized and its armature-lever 40 will be drawn back by means ofits spring 41 into engagement with the contact-piece 50, closing thecircuit of the battery 45, Which energizes the electromagnet 17, thearmature of which will be attracted, and by drawing upon the link 24Ewill operate the valve-lever 25 and thus cause the operation of thebrake.

I have described the operation in connection with danger from a brokenrail in a section; but of course there are other sources of danger,such, for instance, as the standing or running of another train in theforward section. In the drawings I have indicated a train 28 in thesection 4:. hen the train approaches the section 4, it will beautomatically stopped, because of the train 28 in that section. Thetrack resistance at the end of the section 4 will be short-circuited bythe wheels of the train 28, and consequently the electromagnet 38 willreceive an increase of current which will overcome the resistance of thespring 43 and pull the armature-lever 42 forward. This closes thecircuit of the battery'45, and the electromagnet 17 is energized tooperate the brakes. Instead of placing the electromagnet 17 in anormally open circuit, it may beplaced in a normally closed circuit, asindicated in Fig. 2, in which event of course the contacts of thearmature-levers 40 and 42 will be reversed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In an automatictrain-controlling device, thecombination of a train-circuit consisting of a battery, a resistance andan electromagnet, a track-circuit consisting of the two rails of thetrack, resistance-coils connecting op- I posite rails, and a shortauxiliary contact-rail connected to one of the track-rails, thecontact-lever carried by the train and. adapted to cut in thetrain-circuit through the track-circuit, and electromagneticmechanismcarried on the train and connected with the air-brakevalve-lever, and adapted by the opening or short-circuiting of the trainor track circuit to operate the brakes, substantially as specified.

2. In an automatic train-controlling device, the combination of a closedtrain-circuit consisting of a battery, a resistance and twoelectromagnets, one of which is operated by an increase of current andthe other by a decrease of current, a track-circuit consisting of thetwo rails of the track, a resistance con necting opposite rails and ashort auxiliary contact-rail connected to one of the trackrails, acontact-lever carried by the train and adapted to cut in thetrain-circuit through the track-circuit, and electromagnetic mechanismcarried on the train and connected to the air-brake valvelever andadapted by the opening or short-circuiting of the train or track-circuitto operate the brakes and stop the train, substantially as specified.

3. In an automatic train-controllin g device, the combination of atrain-circuit consisting of a source of electricity, a resistance, andelectromagnetic mechanism operated by an increase of current and also bya decrease of current, a track-circuit consisting of the two rails ofthe track, a resistance connecting opposite rails, a short auxiliarycontact-rail connected to one of the track-rails, a contactlevercarried-by the train and adapted to cut in the train-circuit through thetrack-circuit, and an electromagnet on the train and connected with theair-brake valve-lever and adapted by the opening or short-circuiting ofthe train or track circuit to operate the brakes and stop the train,substantially as specified.

at. The combination herein described, of a closed train-circuitconsisting of a battery, a resistance, and electromagnetic mechanismoperated by an increase or a decrease of current, a track-circuitconsisting of the rails of the track, a resistance connected thereto,and a contact-rail connected to one of the trackrails, and a contact-armcarried by the train and adapted to out in the track-circuit through thetrain-circuit, substantially as specified.

CHRISTOPHER A. SHEA.

WVitnesses:

CHAS. P. MUDGE, IVIARTIN J. OoNNoLLY.

